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Petalkit
Petalkit is a little,1 fluffy, pale brown she-cat.2 She is born as Petalkit to Mapleshade and Appledusk, against the warrior code, along with her siblings, Patchkitand Larchkit. Mapleshade keeps their heritage a secret due to the possible punishment, and lets her Clan believe that Birchface was their father. When Ravenwing finds our about their half-clan blood, he tells Oakstar, and Oakstar exiles Mapleshade and her kits. She tries to bring them over to RiverClan to give them a new home, but Petalkit and her brothers drown due to the river flooding. She, along with her brothers, appear as hallucinations to their grieving mother, which urges her to seek revenge on those who caused their death. History In the Super Editions Crookedstar's Promise : Mapleshade mentions to Crookedstar about Petalkit, Larchkit and Patchkit, although they are not mentioned by name. She says that they had drowned while she was trying to get them across the river to RiverClanterritory, swept away by the river. Their father blamed Mapleshade for their deaths. Mapleshade claims that they or their kin should have become RiverClan's Clan Leader. If ThunderClan didn't drive Mapleshade across the river, they wouldn't have drowned. In the Field Guides The Ultimate Guide : Petalkit, Patchkit, and Larchkit are first mentioned, though not by name, on Mapleshade's page. None of Mapleshade's Clanmates stepped forward as their father when they were born. When the medicine cat saw their father in the shape of their heads and the way they hold their tails, Mapleshade and her kits were banished from ThunderClan as traitors. In desperation, she and her kits tried to cross the river to seek refuge in RiverClan. However, the river was swollen from the leaf-fall rain, and although Mapleshade almost died trying to save them, the three siblings were washed away down the river. Mapleshade made it to the other side, but Appledusk blamed her for the kits' deaths after learning what happened. In the Novellas Mapleshade's Vengeance : Patchkit, Larchkit, and Petalkit are born to Mapleshade of ThunderClan and Appledusk of RiverClan, although everyone thinks that their father is the deceased Birchface. Three sunrises after they are born, the ThunderClan leader Oakstar visits him and his family in the nursery. Although their eyes are not yet opened, the kits cannot resist the smell of a strange cat and squirm towards the leader before he nudges them back towards their mother. When Frecklewish says she can clearly see Birchface in each of them, Mapleshade looks down at her kits, noting that they were not the same shade of brown that Birchface had been, but with the exception of Patchkit, who is ginger and white like his mother. : Not too long after, Petalkit tells Larchkit to watch as she wrinkles her muzzle in concentration and grips a bundle of dry moss in her jaws. She shakes it violently. Larchkit grabs it off her and tosses it across the clearing before both kits scramble after it. Petalkit wins by a nose, flopping down on top and claiming it as hers. Soon enough they end up destroying the dry moss, Larchkit prodding the pile of brown with his paw. Rabbitfur wanders over to the kits, sniffing that they've killed it and asks if they want to play a different game. While he teaches them the jumping game, Rabbitfur tells them to pounce at a stone, and Petalkit whines it is almost at the far side of the clearing. She crouches beside a twig, wiggles her rump as she braces to jump. She grunts as she heaves herself forward, but her hind paws catches on the stick. She lurches sideways, snapping the stick as she sprawls at Rabbitfur’s paws. Rabbitfur mutters for her to try again. Petalkit manages to clear the stick but barely makes half the distance to the stone. After insulting Larchkit as well, Mapleshade jumps up to intervene. She hisses at Rabbitfur that she will not have any cat judge her kits before they are even warriors. : She calls to her kits but Petalkit complains she wants to stay and practice jumping. She wants to be as good as Birchface. Mapleshade counters, saying she thinks they need to stretch their legs outside of the camp, and tells Petalkit not to argue. Following her out, Larchkit boasts that he will catch a badger while Petalkit retorts that she will watch the badger eat him first. Patchkit is frightened and Mapleshade reassures them before ushering them into the branches. Petalkit squeaks it’s prickly. Mapleshade urges them to not stop, and soon the kits burst out of the tunnel and stop dead, staring around. Mapleshade continues nudging them towards the path that led up to the trees. The kits scramble up the slope together, Petalkit in the lead. They look even tinier among the tree trunks. They want to stop and sniff every leaf and every mark on the ground but Mapleshade keeps them going. The undergrowth begins to thin out as splashing noises are heard. After rescuing Larchkit from a trip, she thinks she can’t deny that these kits are clumsier than their ThunderClan kin. His littermates stand beside him at the edge of the bracken as they look out at the dazzling river. Petalkit whispers it’s the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. Larchkit asks where did it come from, and Mapleshade explains she doesn’t know, but there is a gorge upstream. Petalkit demands to go there, but Mapleshade shakes her head. She explains it’s too far for her to walk, but one day she’ll see it. : Patchkit usually happy for his siblings to try something new first, jumps in first and his siblings soon follow. They race down the shore and plunge in. For a few strides their little paws digs into pebbles while the water laps at their fluffy bellies, then they are swimming through rolling water. Mapleshade feels a burst of love, and thinks they are half RiverClan for sure. Soon, Patchkit holds onto a branch and Mapleshade calls for Petalkit and Larchkit to help their brother. They are playing hide-and-seek in a clump of reeds close to shore. After a RiverClan patrol appears and Appledusk goes in to fetch Patchkit, Mapleshade calls to her other kits and they wade in, looking scared. Petalkit squeals if that RiverClan warrior going to catch them. Mapleshade reassures that they are safe, and not to worry. Appledusk brings Patchkit safely to shore and tells Mapleshade she took a big risk bringing them close to the boundary. Mapleshade meows she wanted to show them a river. Appledusk breaths they are wonderful. They are strong and brave, and are confident as any RiverClan cat in water. He straightens up and says he doesn’t want to see her or the kits near the river again. He glances once more at the kits before leaving. : Milkfur calls from across the river what Mapleshade is thinking, bringing the kits, they could have drowned. Mapleshade herds the kits back into the bracken. They are bouncing on their paws, and Petalkit asks if they can come back again, explaining swimming is better fun than jumping. Ravenwing suddenly appears, and asks what they are doing at the river, revealing he saw everything. The kits tumble over themselves to tell about their adventure. Mapleshade tries to stop them talking, but Ravenwing reveals he had a omen, and thinks it’s about the kits, that the kits do not belong in ThunderClan. He figures out Birchface is not the father of these kits, and reveals Rabbitfur told him of their poor stalking and pouncing. He figures that Appledusk is their father by the color of their fur and the way he spoke to her when he brought Patchkit back. Mapleshade hisses ThunderClan is blessed to have three strong kits, the truth will be revealed the right time. It’s not her fault everyone assumes Birchface is the father. Ravenwing insists the truth must come out, and that their Clanmates deserve to know. Ravenwing says his sorry for her kits, since they will end up suffering for the lies she has told. Mapleshade almost considers taking her kits and hiding them deep in the forest. She looks at Petalkit balancing an acorn on her head while her brothers try to knock it off. Mapleshade thinks ThunderClan will accept these kits and won’t hurt them. : By the time the kits reach the path to the ravine, they are stumbling over their paws and Mapleshade encourages them on, hoping that she can settle them into the nursery before talking to Ravenwing. Petalkit lets out a huge yawn and murmurs she’s so sleepy. They push through the gorse tunnel, ducking their heads to keep the sharp twigs out of their eyes. Mapleshade follows while nudging Patchkit in front of her. Larchkit and Petalkit stop dead at the entrance, and Mapleshade urges them on. Petalkit whispers she thinks something is happening as the Clan is gathering and waiting for them. Mapleshade points her tail to a clump of bracken at the edge of the clearing, and orders her kits to stand over there. They totter over in silence and huddle together. Ravenwing reveals to the Clan their father is infact Appledusk. Frecklewish, Birchface’s sister is furious, and thinks Mapleshade and the kits don’t deserve to be called warriors. She calls the kits half-clan creatures as the kits cower beneath the ferns. She says their father killed Birchface and Flowerpaw, and orders for them to get out. Mapleshade protests she has given the Clan three fine kits, and StarClan knows they need more warriors, and there they are. : Oakstar tells Mapleshade they will never raise these kits within the walls of the camp, or within the territory. He orders them to take them and leave. Mapleshade protests that these kits belong to ThunderClan, and they have to let them stay. Oakstar shakes his head and growls no he does not. He reminds Mapleshade of the omen, and says these kits will bring nothing but danger. Frecklewish screeches to get rid of them and drive them out. Bloomheart growls they don’t belong here. Filled with anger, Mapleshade hisses they have betrayed her and her kits, and will live to regret this day forever. She stalks over to her kits, and sweeps her tail around them. She tells them this is no longer their home, and to come. She prods them back through the gorse tunnel and up the path. Petalkit falls over and grazes her nose on a stone, but is too tired to protest. She just picks herself up and stumbles on as if she knows there’s no point in arguing. Petalkit asks what they were saying of their father, and if they don’t like Birchface either. Mapleshade promises to tell everything later, but first they need to get across the river. : Petalkit sniffs she wishes they are in the nursery, and complains it’s too wet outside. Mapleshade snaps at her kits, saying to forgot about ThunderClan and the nursery. They approach the river, and Mapleshade tells them they don’t need to swim all the way, since they can use the stepping-stones partway. Patchkit squeaks then they’ll be in RiverClan, and remembers they’re not supposed to be there. Mapleshade mews that it’s all right, and they’re father will be pleased to see them. She reveals that Appledusk, RiverClan cat that helped Patchkit before is their father. She tells their half-RiverClan, that’s why they like water so much. The three kits’ eyes stretched wider until they are like moons. Petalkit asks if that is why ThunderClan are mad at them, and Mapleshade mews yes, but they are wrong. She reveals her plan to live in RiverClan until ThunderClan changes their minds. All kits are nervous to cross the river, and Mapleshade nudges her kits, stating they need to cross before it gets dark. Petalkit wails she doesn’t want to, and there’s too much water. Mapleshade insists they’ll be fine, and herds Larchkit and Patchkit alongside their sister, promising to be right behind them. Patchkit goes first and Petalkit and Larchkit follow. They bob to the first stepping-stone and scramble up. They stand in belly-deep water, shivering. Mapleshade swims in but Petalkit screeches for her to hurry as there is something coming. There is a sudden roar from upstream and a wall of water appears. Mapleshade screeches for them to hold on as the wave crashes over their heads. : Petalkit wails for help as a wave pushes her under and Mapleshade launches herself after them. Mapleshade tries to rescue them, but fails, so is rescued by Appledusk, and he asks where the kits are. Mapleshade begs for them to save her kits, and Appledusk realizes they are in the river. Eeltail calls that if there are kits in there, then they are in big trouble. Appledusk promises to find them, and races away. Mapleshade prays for StarClan to save her kits, and that none of this is their fault. Take her if they have to, but spare them. Appledusk returns and Mapleshade asks if he found them. Appledusk meows he did, and Mapleshade asks where they are. Appledusk leads Mapleshade to their kits, where Eeltail mews they couldn’t save them. Mapleshade lies beside them and desperately licks each one. She urges them to wake up, they crossed the river, and they’re safe now. The bodies were limp under her grooming though, and all eyes stayed closed. Mapleshade wails that she is sorry, and she was trying to find them a new home, she didn’t know where else to go. She explains to Appledusk that ThunderClan threw them out, and they have nowhere else to go. Eeltail meows they need to take these kits to Darkstar as she needs to know about this. Appledusk tells they’ll take one kit each to camp. : The RiverClan warriors gently pick each kit up and carry them slowly towards shore. Mapleshade waits for Appledusk to send the warriors ahead so they can mourn their kits together, but he doesn’t, not even asking what she named them. At camp, Appledusk sets down Petalkit body as gently as if she were sleeping. He explains to the Clan and Darkstar that three kits have drowned in the river. He looks at his paws and stammers that he is their father. Darkstar asks if he knew about these kits, and Appledusk nods, meowing Mapleshade told him she would raise them in ThunderClan. He says he knew he had made a mistake so said nothing. He meows that he can only beg for forgiveness. Darkstar queries what brought these kits tonight. Appledusk tells that Mapleshade’s Clanmates learned the truth and she had to leave. The kits were too young and the river is flooded, so they drowned. Darkstar mews that the loss of any kits is a loss to everyone. Darkstar decides that Appledusk has been punished enough by the death of his kits so doesn’t banish him. Mapleshade asks to stay with her kits, but is refused. Appledusk blames Mapleshade for their deaths, and tells her to go away. Mapleshade pleads that she cannot leave them, because they are everything to her. Appledusk growls thar they are dead, and repeats for her to get out. In anger, she hisses she went through the agony of bearing kits for him, and now he treats her like this. She runs away from the territory and collapses, dreaming of her kits spiraling away as they screech for help. : Mapleshade wakes up, remembering the previous events and screaming in her mind for her kits. In her grieving state, she sees her dead kits hovering in her vision, wailing for help. Mapleshade whispers she can’t, and she is sorry. She thinks the water was too strong; it was not her fault her kits died. At the ThunderClan border, she remembers Ravenwing, and blames him for their deaths. She concludes that every breath Ravenwing took was a breath he denied the kits. She decides to take revenge for her kits and kill Ravenwing. In ThunderClan territory, she meets Nettlepaw, who asks where the kits are. Mapleshade explains they drowned in the river. Nettlepaw is horrified, explaining she is sorry about the kits. She reveals Frecklewish saw what happened but hoped she made it to the other side. She saw them fall off the stepping-stones. Mapleshade is shocked, rasping those kits were helpless and she did nothing. After escaping, Mapleshade settles down for the night, missing her kits and hoping their somewhere warm. In the morning, Mapleshade heads to the Moonstone, thinking her life as a warrior is over. She would dedicate every beat of her heart to avenge her kits. : Mapleshade imagines Ravenwing’s body, he would bleed a river of blood, every drop spilled for her helpless kits. Mapleshade started to hesitate in the tunnel, but the echoing screeches of her kits pushes her on. At the Moonstone, while pinned down, Ravenwing asks what Mapleshade is doing there. Mapleshade snarls she is avenging the death of her kits, if she could kill him three times over she would, as three kits died. Mapleshade knows she has nothing to say to him, as nothing would bring back her kits. She bites down into his throat and kills him. Two other medicine cats arrive and bury him outside, but Mapleshade wonders what memorial there is for her kits. She sees it as cold wet dirt inside RiverClan’s territory. She digs up Ravenwing’s body for a hawk to eat. She thinks she has avenged her kits, and wonders if they were watching. She has killed him for them, and hopes they don’t see Ravenwing is StarClan. Suddenly too tired to walk, Mapleshade closes her eyes to see Patchkit’s and Petalkit’s drenched faces with eyes huge and pleading, mouths open as they wail for help. Mapleshade screeches their names and tries to reach them but she only thuds on cold earth. The voices echo again, and she wonders if she has only avenged one kit, and remembers Frecklewish had seen the kits struggling but has done nothing. She thinks Frecklewish needs to pay for the lost kits, and decides to take revenge for her kits on her too. : At ThunderClan territory, Mapleshade feels a pang of longing but remembers what her Clanmates did to her and her kits, and her fury returns. She catches Frecklewish alone, and jumps at her snarling she let her kits die. She hisses that she prefers to watch helpless kits drown. Frecklewish stiffens, and rasps she thought the kits would be saved, she never meant for them to die. Mapleshade calls her a liar, and claims she bets she’s glad they’re dead. The she-cats fight, but an adder appears and bites Frecklewish. She begs for help, but Mapleshade growls like she helped her kits, and refuses to help. After fleeing, Mapleshade thinks that she has found peace for Petalkit and like Larchkit, her desperate cries have been silenced. She only hears Patchkit’s voice screeching for help in her ears now. Mapleshade pictures the final cat that has to suffer for the death of her kits. She soon reveals it is Appledusk, and thinks he never wanted his kits, so he let them drown. He could have saved them, and is sure he could have. She goes to RiverClan territory, and notes the river is slower and shallower than when she crossed before with the kits. : Finally, she confronts Appledusk, blaming him for killing her kits, saying he must pay. Appledusk bares his teeth and blames her for killing their kits, making them cross the river. Reedshine, Appledusk’s new matearrives and Mapleshade tries to kill her, but Appledusk jumps in the way and is killed instead. Patchkit stirs beside Appledusk’s body and shrills she killed him. He holds his little tail in triumph and meows they are free now. He fades away and Mapleshade runs away after, collapsing. She waits to see her kits’ faces to appear and thank her for everything she has done. Nothing comes though, and she calls out, asking where her kits are. Myler, a kittypet that helps Mapleshade when she collapses sighs she should have left the Clans behind while she had the chance. Mapleshade thinks she could never leave, she swore to avenge the deaths of her kits. Goosefeather's Curse : Goosefeather receives a vision of Frecklewish being bitten by an adder. She begs for help from Mapleshade, but Mapleshade asks sarcastically like she helped her kits so refuses to help. Pinestar's Choice : Though not mentioned by name, Nettlebreeze tells some apprentices Mapleshade's story. He mentions that she wanted revenge for the death of her kits, and decided to torture every cat she blamed for their deaths. Trivia Interesting facts * Petalkit has RiverClan blood through Appledusk. Author statements * Vicky thinks that the appearances of Petalkit and her siblings after their deaths were Mapleshade's hallucinations. Kin Members Father: : Appledusk:2 Deceased, residence unknown Mother: : Mapleshade: Deceased, verified Place of No Stars member Brothers: : Patchkit: Deceased, residence unknown : Larchkit: Deceased, residence unknown Half-sister: : Willownose: Status unknown Half-siblings: : Applefrost: Status unknown : Shyheart: Status unknown Category:ThunderClan cat Category:RiverClan cat Category:StarClan cat